Author: Gérard Père et Fils
Edition: First Edition, 1997
Authored around 1995 and initially released in 1997, with a subsequent reprint in 1999, this substantial hardcover volume spans 140 pages and measures 295mm by 250mm. The book is richly adorned with magnificent full-color photography throughout.
The writing team of Gérard Père et Fils—a father and son collaboration—had already established their reputation with the widely respected "The Connoisseur's Guide to Havana Cigars," originally published in 1990 and later revised in both 1992 and 1997.
This particular work adopts a distinctive dual-approach methodology, organizing its examination of cigars both by individual brand and by size classification using common nomenclature. While it builds upon the foundation laid by their 1990 publication, this volume places greater emphasis on the aesthetic and sensory dimensions of the cigars themselves. The authors' detailed characterizations of each cigar's style, aromatic profile, and flavor characteristics are beautifully supported by an abundance of life-sized photographic reproductions.
For contemporary readers, this book serves as a fascinating historical document—a detailed portrait of the Cuban cigar landscape as it existed in the mid-1990s. Despite the passage of more than two decades since its writing, the volume remains a rewarding read for both collectors and enthusiasts interested in understanding how the industry and its products have evolved.
The authors would later expand their contributions to cigar literature with "L'art du Cigar," a comprehensive two-volume set addressing both technical matters and cigar appreciation, as well as their work on cigar-themed cartoons published in "Flor de Luna."